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HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Fund for Development, concluded a high-level visit to Paris that produced two memoranda of understanding with French institutions to advance shared priorities in humanitarian action and sustainable development. The agreements were signed with the Crisis and Support Centre of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and with Expertise France, according to a statement from the fund. A high-level meeting co-chaired by Sheikh Thani and French Minister Delegate Eleonore Caroit brought together representatives from the French Development Agency and other bodies to discuss enhanced institutional coordination and resource mobilization for joint initiatives.
The memorandum with the Crisis and Support Centre focuses on strengthening collaboration in humanitarian aid, emergency response and stabilisation efforts to assist communities impacted by crises, the Qatar News Agency reported. Separately, the understanding with Expertise France emphasises leveraging technical expertise, building institutional capacities and developing joint projects to promote sustainable development and better livelihoods, especially in fragile and conflict-affected settings. These pacts build on longstanding bilateral ties and prior joint work, including a USD 50 million trilateral fund with the United Kingdom and France to tackle urgent humanitarian and development challenges in areas such as Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Africa.
Qatar News Agency data places the fund’s recent global activity at 18 development and humanitarian agreements signed in December 2025 that exceeded QR 2.016 billion and targeted more than 4.7 million beneficiaries worldwide. Those partnerships spanned health services, education access, infrastructure, food security, youth and women empowerment, and climate resilience measures, often involving multilateral bodies and the Agence Française de Développement. The latest Paris agreements align with this trajectory by combining QFFD financing with French operational knowledge to address both immediate relief needs and longer-term sustainability goals.
A joint statement following the meetings highlighted the importance of intensifying coordination on humanitarian priorities while exploring fresh avenues for international partnerships that serve the common objectives of both nations. Participants reviewed ongoing projects and opportunities to expand cooperation in capacity building and crisis response, the fund indicated. Earlier examples of successful collaboration include co-financing for the expansion of Saint-Joseph Hospital in East Jerusalem, where combined contributions are improving specialised medical care and training for Palestinian communities.
Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani said on the platform X, “I was pleased to meet HE Ms. Eleonore Caroit, the Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Citizens Abroad, where we discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the fields of humanitarian work and international development.” He added that the meeting witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding, reflecting the strength of bilateral relations between Qatar and France and their joint commitment to supporting affected communities and advancing sustainable development. The director general of QFFD, Fahad bin Hamad Al Sulaiti, signed both documents on behalf of the fund alongside his French counterparts.
The new framework is expected to facilitate more coordinated programming that draws on the respective strengths of each side to deliver measurable impact in vulnerable regions, according to officials present. QFFD has steadily increased its emphasis on innovative financing instruments, including grants, concessional loans and catalytic capital, to amplify development outcomes in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This latest step with France adds to a pattern of deepening multilateral and bilateral engagements that position the fund as a key player in global humanitarian and development efforts.
